Chicken Mites

After raising hens for more years than I remember, the hens have chicken mites.  The heat and humidity (and probably the wettest June on record) has contributed to the issue.  These are tiny, tiny bugs in the coop and on the chickens!  I had heard about them on the Backyard Chicken website and forum, but like I said, I have never had to deal with them. 

Thank Goodness for the internet and google!  I figured out what I needed, ran down to our local store and bought something called "Diotomaceous Earth" (now known as the "stuff").  Don't even try to pronounce it....it doesn't work!

So, I cleaned the coop, sprinkled the "stuff" everywhere, especially where they give themselves dirt baths (a normal part of life for a chicken) and already I see the difference in 24 hours!  I also sprinkled it directly on the hens!  It is an all natural bug killer, that is safe for hens.  I have to cleanse the coop again in 7 days and add more of the "stuff" and if the heat and humidity keeps up, I will do it weekly! 

I also had to buy more feed and more pine shavings, as I will be replacing the hens bedding as needed.  It's always something!  But I am happy that the "stuff" already seems to be working!